Southwestern Chicken Soup

serves 6
This soup is a perfect cold weather favorite of my husbands. In fact, recently I made him some and froze extra portions for him to take with him to eat during the week.
Again this is a very easy recipe!

3 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

3 slices bacon, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 white potatoes, peeled and cubed

5 cups chicken stock (reserved from cooking chicken)

1 cup prepared Pace Picante Sauce

½ Cup Chopped Onion

1 tsp coarse salt

4 ½ ounces canned chopped green chiles

2 green onions, chopped

1ear fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob

crushed tortilla chips

1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 avocados, pitted, peeled and chopped

Place the chicken in a stockpot and fill with enough water to cover, at least 6 cups (so you have enough for stock). Bring to a simmer over medium heat, cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pot; reserve 5 cups of the stock and set aside. Let the chicken cool slightly and chop into bite-size pieces. Brown the bacon in the empty stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the potato cubes and stir until coated with bacon drippings.  Add the reserved chicken stock, picante sauce, onions and salt. Simmer, stirring occasionally, over medium-low heat for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until potatoes are tender. Stir in green chiles, green onions, corn and chicken, and heat through.  Add crushed tortilla chips to soup bowls, ladle in the sup and top with the cheese and avocado.

NOTE: I leave out the avocado and cheese when I freeze it.  And I tend to eat the avocado by myself since LML hates them!